NIGHTWATCH Extract: AF IO Not Up to Speed…

Afghanistan: An explosion in Arghandab District, Kandahar Province in southern Afghanistan killed at least 39 people and injured 73 others, Afghan officials reported. The Taliban attacked a wedding party on Wednesday evening.

Comment: This attack is noteworthy for two reasons, in addition for its savagery. First is the Taliban still are fighting to control or to maintain their position in Arghandab District, after six years. The second point is there are no anti-Taliban demonstrations by the locals over the deaths of non-combatant civilians, as there would be if a NATO attack had killed the civilians. Such attacks violate Mullah Omar’s code of conduct published last year, but there is no outrage or punishment mechanism, it seems, for rogue Taliban operations.

Another event reported today is that the Taliban executed a seven year old child in Helmand Province for cooperating with the Afghan government. Again, no demonstrations or outrage.

The US and NATO are paying lots for Afghan information operations specialists, who need to pay closer attention.